Automatic light.



No. 892,293. PATBNTEDJUNE' 30, 1908.

E. NEWMAN. AUTOMATIC LIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG,.22,1907.

H 555 H z.

1n: NORRIS PETERS co-, wAsumarou, n. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD NEWMAN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE SELF LIGHTING STREET LAMP COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

AUTOMATIC LIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 1908.

Application filed August 22, 1907. Serial No. 389,632.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD NEWMAN, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Cincinnati, Hamilton county, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Lights; and I do declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description of the invention, attention being called to the accompanying drawing, with the reference characters marked thereon, which form also a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and improved means for controlling the lighting and extinguishing of a light, a gas-flame for instance. Mechanism, involving a springmotor is used for operating the means controlling the supply of the light-producing agent so that, when said motor is set going, this supply will be turned on and thereafter cut off automatically, the particular time of these occurences, as well as the length of the interval between them being regulatable.

The invention relates particularly to the mechanism whereby the spring-motor is operatively connected to the means which control the light by controlling the supply of the light producing agent, the construction of this mechanism being such that the operation for lighting as well as for extinguishing is a positive one for both actions.

In the following specification and partic ularly pointedout in the claims at the end thereof, will be found a full description of my invention, together with its operation, parts and construction, which latter is also illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in Which:-

Figure 1, shows the lower part of a gaslamp with its burner, and a front-view of the case inclosing my light-controlling attachment, the lower part being broken away. Fig. 2, in a similar view shows the front of the case with a cap controlling access to the interior removed and with a portion of the front-side of the case inclosing the operating mechanism broken away. Fig. 3, is a view similar to Fig. 1, with the exception that part of the burner is broken away, also the entire front-side of the case which contains the operating mechanism being removed. Fig. 4, is a view simliar to Fig. 3, with the exception that the spring-motor contained in the case has been removed showing parts located back of the same. Fig. 5, is a view at right angles to the preceding two figures,

the case inclosing the operating-mechanism..

being shown in section, giving a side-view of the contents thereof. Fig. 6, is a top-view of this mechanism, its inclosing case, as well as adjacent parts being shown in horizontal section. Fig. 7, shows the burner as it appears in Fig. 1, the means for its manipulation being modified. Figs. 8 and 9, show at reduced scale two views at right angles to each other, of a gas-lamp equipped with my outfit and illustrating preferred manner of its attachment.

In the drawing, 11 designates a conven tional gas-burner forming part of a gas-lamp of which 12 is the globe resting on a base 13, the whole mounted on a post 14.

15 is the cock which controls the gas sup ply to this burner, it being provided with a port 16, which may be either in a position alined with the gas conduit 17, as shown in Fig. 3, when gas is supplied to the burner, or it is transversely arranged thereto as shown in Fig. 4, when this supply is out off and the light is extinguished. n arm 18, is mounted on one of the ends of cook 15, whereby it is moved from either one of these positions into the other one. There is also an auxiliary burner or pilot-light 19, mounted on a nipple 21, which extends laterally from burner 11, its action being also controlled by cook 15, the amount of its supply being regulated by a needle-valve 22. A by-pass 23, is provided in cook 15, through which this supply passes, its arrangement with ref erence to port 16, being such, that when gas is supplied to main-burner 11, no gas is supplied to the pilot-light and when the gas is turned off from the main-burner, it is su plied to burner 19, the action being such, that one burner becomes lighted, before the other burner is completely extinguished, see Figs. 3 and 4. The main-burner may thus readily light up at any time as soon as its supply is turned on.

An arm 18, which operates the cock is moved into either one of its two positions by a three-armed angle-lever 24, pivoted at 25, and contained in a case 26, a rod 27, connecting one of its arms to arm 18. The anglelever occupies correspondingly either one of two positions and it is actuated to occupy either one of them, by either one of two arms 29, 34, which are rigidly mounted, one each at one end of two rock-shafts 30, and 35, one within the other, said arms being connected to the angle-lever by links 28 and 33. At the other ends of these rock-shafts, there are also arms, one 31 on rock-shaft 30, and another one 36, on rock-shaft 35. The entire operation proceeds from either one of these two latter arms. If it proceeds from arm 31, this latter rocks shaft 30, swings arm 29, and by means of a link 28, acts upon lever 24, lacing the same in one of its two positions.

f it proceeds from arm 36, this latter rocks inner shaft 35, and acts by means of arm 34, and link 33, upon angle-lever 24, moving the same into its other position. In either case this angle-lever, by reason of the intact connection of all these members, reacts also in reverse order on the other rock-shaft, so that notwithstanding the operation proceeds by the actuation and movement of either one of arms 31 or 36 only, the other arm will also be moved every time, each of these arms also occupying either one of two positions. These arms are acted upon alternatingly at intervals by two prime-movers or actuators, a and b, one acting upon one arm and the other acting upon the other arm. These actuators are each mounted for rotation, the member, a disk 37, upon which they are mounted and whereby they are carried, being arranged to rotate once in 24 hours. They project from this disk and the arrangement is such, that one of the arms extends into the path of one of these actuators and the other extends into the path of the other one, so that each of arms 31 and 36, is acted upon once in 24 hours by its actuator. If one of these acts accomplishes the lighting of the burner and the other its extinguishment, it will now be readily seen how the lamp is controlled. It will also be understood that the duration of time which the burner remains lighted, depends upon the interval between these acts, which interval corresponds to the distance in position between the actuators and may be regulated as to length by adjustment of their osition, the adjustment of one being suf cient. Furthermore by adjusting the disk and the actuators carried thereby with reference to arms 31 and 36, so that the first of these latter acts at a certain time, the beginning of operations with reference to the gas-burner may also be timed.

Disk 37 is rotated by a spring-motor, substantially in nature of a clock-movement and is contained in a movement-frame of which 38, is the front-plate, and 39, the rear-plate. The larger part of this movement, the details of construction of which are not essential here, is contained between these plates, but omitted in the drawing, with exception of barrel 41, which contains the spring 42. The rock-shafts, one within the other, are also, supported on this frame, bearings 43, being provided forthe purpose. Pivot 25, of lever 24, may like-wise be attached to this frame, or to an intermediate plate'44, secured to the same.

A dial-plate 45, is provided in front of plate 38, with a space between the two. All these parts are contained in casing 26, dialplate 45, appearing immediately behind opening 0, in front d, of this case. This dialplate has a central opening into which disk 37, is fitted flush. As before stated this disk is arranged to rotate once in 24 hours, being driven by the spring-motor, most of the mechanism of which is contained between plates 38 and 39, part of it being also pro vided between plates 38, and dial-plate 45, as shown. Arms 31 and 36, extend from the rock-shafts into this space and back of disk 37 so as to be in the path of actuators a, and

b, as they are carried around by said disk,

arm 31, extending into the path of actuator a, and arm 36, extends into the path of actuator b. As the arrangement is shown, action of actuator a, upon arm 31, opens cock'l5. Action by actuator 6, upon arm 36, closes the cook. The actuation involving one arm, causes also at the same time the other arm to be moved into the path of its actuator for contact therewith, which is due to the presence of angle-lever 24, which, when being moved by one arm, re-acts also upon the other an If the gas is on, the first action taking place will turn it off, and if the lamp is out, the next action will light it again. Since the gas remains burning between these actions, it follows that the burning-time depends on the distance between actuators a, and b, and may be regulated by adjusting the position of one with reference to the other. Member a, is shown adjustable, and for such purpose it is mounted loosely upon arbor 46, which carries disk 37, said arbor being operated by the spring-motor. It is also combined with an indicator 47, which is bent outwardly and over the front of disk 37 to be accessible, a slot 48, in this latter being provided through which it extends. A knob 49, permits its manipulation for adjustment.

The indicator is provided with a lockingpin 50, on its underside whereby, in conjunction with a number of openings 51, arranged on a circular line, it holds actuator a, in adjusted position. It has spring-action, so that it may be readily lifted out of any particular opening and re-inserted into another one after adjustment.

Openings 51, are so spaced as to be apart one twenty-fourth part of the circumference of the disk, which is equivalent to an hours time of the movement of this latter. Intermediate openings for fractions of an hour may be added. As shown in Figs. 2, and 3, the adjustment is for a burning-time of twelve hours, the actuators being half the circumference apart. By moving member a, in the proper direction and circumferentially closer to member I), this time is shortened and by moving it away therefrom it is lengthened. After the burning-time has thus been arranged by adjustment of the distance between the actuators, it is also necessary to set the disk and the parts carried thereby as a whole with reference to arms 31, and 36, particularly arm 31, action upon which starts operation of the lamp, so as to have this event take place at the proper, intended time. Since the various manipulations connected with attendance upon this lamp, regulation of the burning-time, winding, etc., are usually performed in day-time, it is necessary to set disk 37 so, that action upon arm 31, does not take place before the time the lamp is intended to start burning.

Thus for instance, if the attendant should adjust or start the movement of a certain lamp at 5, oclock, the lamp being intended to start burning two hours later, it is necessary to set disk 37, so that actuator a, does not act upon arm 31, before the proper time. For such purpose the disk is set back with reference to this arm so that its actuator does not strike it before the lapse of two hours. The pointed end of indicator 47, is used to show these positions in conjunction with numbers on dial-plate 45, which numbers start with zero in the center above the disk, the spaces between them being one twenty-fourth part 'of the circumference apart and equivalent to an hours movement of the disk. The arrangement and position of the parts involved is such, that when disk 37, is set so that pointer 47, is opposite the figure 2, on the dial-plate, as shown in Fig. 2, actuator a, is away from arm 31, a distance, requiring it two hours to traverse. For so setting the disk, an arm 52, is used, mounted on an arbor within arbor 46, it being the equivalent to the minute-hand in a clock, so that for every one of its rotations, the disk moves a distance from one number to the other on the dial-plate.

Additional numbers are provided for use when fractions of an hour are to be considered. Thus for instance if the lamp is to start burning in 2 hours and 15 minutes, disk 37, is set that much back, arm 52, being manipulated until the pointer 47, is opposite number 2, on the dial-plate, after which arm 52, is turned still further back until it is opposite the number 15 in the outer row of figures indicating minutes (see Fig. 2). These adjustments are of course necessary only once when the burning-time of the lamp, or the start of its operation is changed and other wise no attention is required except the winding of the spring-motor'which is usually once every week. The spring is wound at 53, an opening being provided in the dial plate for the purpose.

A stop 54, 1S provided to limit the movement of arms 31, and 36, so that they may not pass beyond a proper position and out of range of action by the actuators. A counter-weight 55, isprovided in a suitable position as on the outer rock-shaft for instance, Which acts as a counter-balance so that no resistance of weight has to be overcome by the spring-motor. A cap 56, held by bolts 57, is used to close opening a, in the case. The preferable mode of attachment is by means of a bracket 58,projecting from case 26, and suitably connected to the lamppost.

Having described my invention, I claim as new:

1. In an automatic light, the combination of a burner, a cock for it, a lever and two rock-shafts, all operatively connected to the cock and to each other in a manner that actuation of one rock-shaft also actuates the other, and time-controlled mechanism 'adapt ed to actuate the rock-shafts.

2. In an automatic light, the combination of a burner, a cock for it,two rock-shafts, one within the other, time-controlled mechanism adapted to act upon one of them at the time, and an intermediate lever operatively connected to the cock and to each of the rock-shafts so that, when said lever is operated by one of the rock-shafts, it also acts upon the other rock-shaft.

3. In an automatic light, the combination of a disk, means to rotate it, two actuators carried by it and arranged adjustable with reference to each other, two rock-shafts, arms, one on each, each adapted to project into the path of one of the actuators, a burnercock and an intermediate lever operatively connected thereto and to each of the rockshafts which, when moved by one of these latter, moves the other one in a manner to swing the arm thereon into the path of its actuator.

4. In an automatic light, the combination of a disk, means to rotate it, two actuators carried by it and arranged adjustable with reference to each other, two rock-shafts, an arm on each and one of which always projects into the path of one of the actuators, a burnercock, an intermediate lever, means whereby it is operatively connected to the cock, and additional means whereby it is also connected to the rock-shafts, so that it maybe acted upon by either one of them, and whereby it is capable of re-acting upon the other rock-shaft in a manner to swing the arm thereon into the path of one of the actuators.

5. In an automatic light, the combination of a stationary dial-plate, a disk set within an opening of the same, time-controlled shafts are operatively connected to the means to rotate this disk, means to adjust it burnercock. 10 With reference to the dial-plate, tWo actua- In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my tors carried by the disk, a burner-cock, two signature in the presence of two Witnesses. rock-shafts, an arm rigidly connected to EDWARD NEWMAN. each and adapted to be acted upon by one of Vitnesses:

the actuators and the other by the other C. SPENGEL,

actuator and means whereby these rock-i T. LE BEAU. 

